02 Nov 2018 | 01:34 AM UTC
India: Unknown gunmen kill politician in Jammu and Kashmir November 1
Gunmen kill Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) politician and one other person in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district on November 1; curfew imposed and mobile internet services suspended
Event
Unknown gunmen in Jammu and Kashmir killed a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) politician and his brother on Thursday, November 1. Anil Parihar, the BJP state secretary for Jammu and Kashmir, was shot in Kishtwar (Kishtwar district) around 20:00 (local time). Authorities imposed an indefinite curfew for the district and the Indian army was reportedly deployed to the area. Mobile internet services were also suspended in the district.
Context
Insurgents (locals or Pakistani nationals) have been fighting Indian rule in Jammu and Kashmir since 1989. Some 70,000 people have died and many more have been injured in related violence, uprisings, and military crackdowns. Recently, the Indian government has conducted several security operations in the region amid rising tensions and sporadic violence.
Advice
Individuals in the affected areas are advised to monitor developments to the situation, anticipate telecommunication disruptions, remain vigilant for militant activity, and adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities and their home governments. As a reminder, some Western governments advise their citizens against travel to parts of Kashmir, notably including areas along the Line of Control (LoC), due to the significant risk of violence.
